It almost goes without saying that Freemasonry is nothing like Joe 'Jesus' Stirling imagines. After all, he is clearly mentally ill, so he isn't likely to make much sense. But what is the truth behind this secretive organisation? Well, to be honest, I don't know, even though I am a member. Clearly, there is much more to the organisation than a lowly Master Mason will ever be told, but does that mean that it is bad?

What we can say with absolute certainty is that the truth as Joe sees it is absolute rubbish. He claims that junior members are indoctrinated. This is simply not true. Junior members go through three rather strange rituals to work their way up to the rank of Master Mason and that's it. The content of these rituals can easily be researched online, so if there are secrets, they are very poorly kept ones.

Oh yes, there is pressure to advance 'around the room' towards taking your turn as Worshipful Master, and you are always being invited to join 'Chapter' once you are a MM, but a gentle refusal worked in my case. These invitations stem from desire to generate more revenue from members because, basically, Freemasonry is fighting for its very survival as it seems less and less relevant in the modern world. It certainly lacks the power that it might once have had.

What you find yourself a member of is a middle class drinking club. That's it. There is no devil worship, indoctrination or plotting against people like Joe. Nor is there the secrecy that Joe imagines, the 'hiding behind the curtain' as he likes to call it. Freemasons frequently march in public where any of them can be identified. Failing this, just stand outside a hall and watch who goes in and out.

There are no real secrets in Freemasonry. Just silly old men playing at rituals and getting drunk.

It almost goes without saying that Freemasonry is nothing like Joe 'Jesus' Stirling imagines. After all, he is clearly mentally ill, so he isn't likely to make much sense. But what is the truth behind this secretive organisation? Well, to be honest, I don't know, even though I am a member. Clearly, there is much more to the organisation than a lowly Master Mason will ever be told, but does that mean that it is bad?

What we can say with absolute certainty is that the truth as Joe sees it is absolute rubbish. He claims that junior members are indoctrinated. This is simply not true. Junior members go through three rather strange rituals to work their way up to the rank of Master Mason and that's it. The content of these rituals can easily be researched online, so if there are secrets, they are very poorly kept ones.

Oh yes, there is pressure to advance 'around the room' towards taking your turn as Worshipful Master, and you are always being invited to join 'Chapter' once you are a MM, but a gentle refusal worked in my case. These invitations stem from desire to generate more revenue from members because, basically, Freemasonry is fighting for its very survival as it seems less and less relevant in the modern world. It certainly lacks the power that it might once have had.

What you find yourself a member of is a middle class drinking club. That's it. There is no devil worship, indoctrination or plotting against people like Joe. Nor is there the secrecy that Joe imagines, the 'hiding behind the curtain' as he likes to call it. Freemasons frequently march in public where any of them can be identified. Failing this, just stand outside a hall and watch who goes in and out.

There are no real secrets in Freemasonry. Just silly old men playing at rituals and getting drunk.